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Networking & Promotion of young talent

"Women in Engineering" now also in Austria: with the participation of VRVis and AIT

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is one of the world's largest organizations dedicated to the advancement of technologies for the benefit of humanity. With Women in Engineering (WIE), the IEEE has a professional organization dedicated to advancing female engineers and inspiring girls around the world to pursue a career in engineering.

In Austria, IEEE Women in Engineering currently has 20 members. Co-founders of the Austria Section are the AIT staff members Nicole Brosch, Junior Scientist at the Center for Vision, Automation & Control and Johanna Schmidt, Scientist at the Center for Mobility Systems. Together with Katharina Krösl, member of the VRVis Center for Virtual Reality and Visualization and PhD student at the Institute of Computer Graphics and Algorithms of the Vienna University of Technology, the scientists have big plans for the establishment of the network: "In addition to a Women in Engineering Award for Papers We want to organize a regular's table, lectures and internships for female students. We are considering extending the project to Germany and Switzerland so that female students and young women researchers can gain practical experience in other countries, "says Nicole Brosch.

Through the IEEE website membership can be requested for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as well as for Women in Engineering.

"An essential part of the daily research work is maintaining contacts with researchers at the same and other research sites. What started off as an informal exchange of ideas often develops into a larger research project, and in the course of time also to a longer-lasting collaboration, "says Johanna Schmidt (Center for Mobility Systems), explaining her commitment to the network of engineers.

There is already a lively scientific exchange among the research institutes AIT, VRVis and TU Vienna, and projects are also being handled jointly. "Now it is important to implement a forum tailored to female scientists on this basis. This should not only serve networking and career promotion, but also facilitate targeted promotion of young talent, "explains Katharina Krösl from VRVis.